Three Simple Ways to Find Stillness

A day begins, and before you know it, it is over. The to-do list has not got shorter, if anything longer. The weeks before the end of the year in particular invite you to do even more: more shopping, more appointments, more get-togethers, more to get done. At some point you notice you are only running to catch up. And that you are tired, when really all you are doing is functioning.

I know this well. So here are three small ways that help me stop for a moment.

1. Drink your coffee in peace

Coffee or tea, it does not matter. The only thing that matters is this: drink it without doing anything else at the same time. No phone, no emails, not even a book. Sit down, look out of the window and let your thoughts come and go.

For me, it feels like closing a few open tabs in my head. Afterwards I feel lighter and calmer, even if it was only five minutes.

2. Say no

“No” is a complete sentence. That sounds simple. For many of us, it is still one of the hardest words.

What helps me: every no is also a yes to something else. If you turn down an invitation because you have no energy left, you are not saying no to the others. You are saying yes to your own peace. And very often, a no to the outside is a yes to yourself.

3. Arrive in your senses

You have probably heard the word mindfulness many times. What it means is something quite simple: you notice what is here right now. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you feel on your skin? What do you taste?

These few questions bring you out of your head and back into your body. Outdoors it is especially easy, because there is so much to notice. But you can do it anywhere, even at your desk or in the queue at the checkout.

There are countless ways to more calm. The last thing you need is another item on your list. So you do not have to try all three. Pick one, just for this week, and see what it does for you.

And if you notice there is more behind the restlessness than a full diary, let us talk it through calmly in a Clarity Call.

Written by Thorsten Enderlin